The average height varies between countries, but in the US, it’s 5 feet 9 inches (175 cm) for men and 5 feet 3.5 inches (161 cm) for women.
If you’re above or below these measurements, you might notice a few traits specific to your size. Interested in the latter group, one Reddit user made a post on the platform, asking people who consider themselves short to share the problems that they think taller folks will never truly understand.
From attending concerts to carrying backpacks, here are some of the things that they’ve mentioned.
#1
If I gain 5lbs I may need a different size pants. 5lbs is so much to a person with no place to put it.
missdawn1970:
OMG, yes! I’m 5 feet tall, and gaining even 2 pounds makes my pants and skirts dig into my waist.
Image credits: centralperk_7
#2
We see up into your nostrils all the time.
Image credits: Rizalwasright
#3
If you walk normally I have to basically power walk. Even if you tell them, either they don’t seem to understand, can’t adapt on short notice or don’t care.
Image credits: LichtbringerU
#4
That people won’t respect you as much as a tall person in a professional setting.
Prosperous_Petiole:
4’8 here. Customers at my work often think I’m the trainee. I’m the manager.
Image credits: Yansura25
#5
When you’re in a crowd of people, you can’t see a damn thing!
dogballet:
I’m 5ft tall and I have almost never enjoyed a live music event in my life.
Image credits: Pennyfeather46
#6
Being used as an armrest is annoying, and not peak humor that some tall people think it is.
Image credits: Aoife226
#7
We’re at backpack height & it’s going to hit us in the face if you’re not careful.
CatCatCatCubed:
Omg, this. I’m so hyper aware of backpacks after nearly catching a dangly metal zipper in the teeth. The trend of putting enamel pins and/or keychains on a backpack (or even a purse) always seems like a good way for me to get a facial scar or an eye injury.
Image credits: micallab
#8
I have rocked out calves because I go up on tiptoes twenty times a day.
Image credits: zardozLateFee
#9
In crowds it can become difficult to breathe. Taller people can reach the fresh air, but I’m trapped under where everyone else is breathing out.
Image credits: MEG4NTRON
#10
We have to hem almost everything adding $ to every purchase.
Image credits: NaughtyNuri
#11
People really do show preferential treatment to tall men and discriminate against short men.
Image credits: ProfessionalPin5993
#12
What it’s like to go to the grocery store and have the item you need be on the very top shelf. You have to either suck up your pride and social anxiety and ask for help or go home without it.
Image credits: BigTittyGothGfLovesD
#13
Most short people can’t sit with their back against the back of a chair or sofa AND have their feet touch the floor. Without a pillow behind them it gets uncomfortable quickly. A lot of guys make fun of all the decorative pillows, but they also serve a function.
Image credits: Silly-Resist8306
#14
We don’t need to ever clean those top shelves you say are dirty. I don’t see them. Thus, they do not exist.
Image credits: OUJayhawk36
#15
Even if the object isn’t that heavy, if my arms can’t wrap comfortable around to hold it, I can’t carry it.
Image credits: 13-Penguins
#16
The overhead visor isn’t going to do anything against the sun.
Image credits: 13-Penguins
#17
Every time I go to see a movie or play, I hope that a kid is sitting in front of me, otherwise I can’t see the stage/screen.
Image credits: Espressoencake
#18
I’m not eating small portions to starve myself, I’m eating small portions because if I consume more than 1300 calories a day I’ll gain weight.
Image credits: razcalnikov
#19
No chairs are made for me. At 5’3, my feet always dangle and worsen my sciatica. It feels dumb to feel like a toddler in every chair.
Image credits: HellyOHaint
#20
As a shorter guy (5’5″M), you can literally be invisible in a group. At parties or gatherings, I’ve often had experiences where taller people will introduce themselves to each other and simply not notice me. I’ve learned to be more assertive, but it’s annoying AF when it happens all the time.
Image credits: lovebzz
#21
My space matters too. I also like to be comfortable. I don’t appreciate being squeezed into the smallest space all the time “because it’s easier”. I don’t want the s****y seat, bed, etc. every time we travel.
Being told constantly that you just need to roll with whatever because your comfort matters least HONESTLY had an effect on me.
#22
Tall people don’t have the same innate climbing abilities as a short one. Climbing is a sport to tall peeps, it’s getting something off the top shelf for us. My daughter calls it dad-nastics.
Image credits: marmot1101
#23
How it’s often the first insult thrown.
A good example at the moment is the amount of people slamming Sunaks height in the uk.
His height is irrelevant whatever you think.
Image credits: Island-pen
#24
I don’t need to be reminded every single interaction how small I am.
#25
That annoying, tip of the fingers making the thing turn around instead of being able to grab it off an upper shelf.
#26
How difficult it is to get clothes out the bottom of a top loading washer. I have repurposed some kitchen tongs to be used as laundry tongs.
#27
Body aches from using furniture that isn’t designed for your height. My feet don’t reach the floor when I’m in an office chair, so it causes lower back pain. The armrests are often too wide for my frame so my elbows have to stick out, straining my shoulders.
#28
Y’all tall b**ches need to stop hovering over toilets and making them wet and gross. Short women cannot hover pee, and we should not have to. If no one hovered this would not be an issue.
#29
Being constantly aware of where people are. Short folks need to watch for stray elbows, dipsh**s walking backward, drunk dipsh**s walking forward, and how to get attention of someone who is oblivious to your existence.
#30
There is a real, true bias against short people. Judging people on race, gender, sexual preference, or religion is extremely taboo, but “I only date guys over 6’6″” on a dating profile is perfectly acceptable. Men will pick fights with you because they can see the top of your head. Taller people are often respected more in office settings. And don’t even get me started on the short-phobic NBA.
#31
It makes me feel unsafe if you talk about how easily you can pick me up and take me. Or how easily someone could overpower me. why would you tell me that when I’m already afraid of it happening.
#32
How you get treated as a short person. Don’t get me wrong, I know tall people get flack too. But there’s a big difference between “how’s the weather up there” or “you remind me of Slenderman” and being condescended or treated like a child, or having people touching your head, leaning on you, or laying hands on you in other ways without consent because you’re short.
#33
Having to use a cushion when driving. Seatbelts that are super uncomfortable.
#34
I’m 4′ 9″, tall people don’t understand that the world is not designed for short people. I have my car seat all the way forward and still can barely reach the pedals, the counter at the DMV is at my shoulder height, normal kitchen counters are too high, I have to climb shelves at the store because all the stuff I normally buy is above my head height. If I walk in front of a big truck my head is below the top of the grill, so there’s no way the driver would see me. Oh and just because we’re short, don’t treat us like children, don’t crouch down to talk to us, pat us on the head etc, it makes us angry.
#35
In a festival l/standing event, my nose is at your armpits level. *Please wear deodorant*
#36
When hiking with a taller person, why you just can’t take one step across a chasm to reach the next place of solid footing.
Image credits: OldSuccess9715
#37
That we are closer to your crotch and can attack anytime.
#38
You see door handles? They got stuck in my sleeves sometimes!
Image credits: GoldieOGilt
#39
How awesome it is to be able to pull the covers up to your chin without having your feet sticking out from under the duvet even when you’re lying stretched out on the bed.
#40
Yall walk into us a LOT more than you think you do. I had to start wearing heels to stop it. For f***s sake make sure you look down occasionally.
Image credits: testingforfun336
#41
**I’m still a m***********g adult.**
I am a 43-year-old adult who has been working in my career for **20 f*****g years.**
I am a grown-up. Just because I’m the height of the average 12-year-old and also have a baby face and also just happen to be traditionally attractive does not mean that I am not a *serious f*****g adult.* This has been my biggest pet peeve since I was in my 20s, where at my first job out of college everyone assumed I was not a college intern, but someone who somehow was in high school yet coming to an office job from 8 to 5 every day?!
Just because we’re short doesn’t mean we’re actually children. For the love of God, I am begging all of you to please remember this whenever you deal with a professional adult who just doesn’t happen to be as tall as most adults.
Image credits: ranchojasper
#42
People treat you like your lesser of a person. Like hell I’m 38, I’ve been through a lot of s**t. just because I’m 4’11” doesn’t mean I’m not worthy of respect. Damnit.
Image credits: krandle41709
#43
We kind of need personal space too, even if we take up less of it. We don’t appreciate the jokes about all the things we make seem bigger.
Image credits: petronia1
#44
Harder to shop for pants and maxi dresses. Not every retailer sells petite sizes. I have a 28 inch inseam. Regular sizes will drag on the floor.
Image credits: Beneficial-Cow-2544
#45
The world is not designed for short people. As mentioned in other comments, items on higher shelves aren’t easy to reach and dangling feet when sitting on a toilet or in a chair sucks. Consider my own 4’10” pet peeve… the average countertop height should reach the average person around mid-hip or thereabouts. This allows for hands to be in an ideal ergonomic position to do whatever. But for us short people, the countertop height trends upward to somewhere torso level making doing things at counter height just… miserable. I hate cooking, doing dishes, etc. simply because after a little while, my neck, shoulders, and back ache from extending my arms up and out rather than out and down like everyone else. I imagine taller than average folks have similar issues with needing to stoop down to reach the counter.
Image credits: H0us3Hunt3r
#46
Finding shirts that fit my broad shoulders that don’t have sleeves that are 6 inches longer than my fingertips..
#47
Recently for me, despite there being a setting for adjusting exercise equipment to fit from tall to short, I am at that level of shortness where even the shortest/smallest setting is not small enough in *most* equipment. Also, every goddamn pair of pants I buy need to be hemmed up.
#48
Your height doesn’t intimidate me. I’m used to looking up.
#49
Here is a short list of lifelong inconveniences while living as a 4’11 woman
All pants must be hemmed, even petite sizes. Same for long skirts and dresses.
I realized way too late in life that the kids section for clothing and shoes is not only economical for me, but the fit is better too.
I need a step stool to reach the second and third shelf in all my cabinets.
Every room in my house has atleast one chair for me to get on to reach stuff up high.
I have to do a running jump to get into my truck. When I drive the seat has to be all the way forward and all the way up so I can see over the dashboard.
Talking to people is literally a pain in the neck. I have never been able to look anyone in the eye unless we are both sitting down.
Echoing what others have said about calorie intake. If I eat over 1500 calories, I gain weight. 5 pounds weight gain looks like 20 on me. If I weight more than 105 lbs, I look like an oompaloompa.
My four year old is now one foot shorter than me. I will have to stop carrying her soon because carrying someone as tall as me down the stairs doesn’t seem like a safe or smart idea.
My feet dangle when I sit to pee which feels weird. Squatty potty for the win.
I could literally write a book of lamentations of a short woman, lol but those are just some of the greatest hits I could think of at the moment.
#50
When you place things on the top shelf, I can’t reach it. It’s possible I can’t even see it. And if I ask you for assistance getting it, I’m not feigning helplessness for no reason. Help, or accept that you having to crouch slightly to put it away is less of a burden than me being totally unable to access it.
Tall people also overlook shorter people all the time, and will barrel us right out of the way as if we aren’t even there.
#51
You don’t need to kneel in certain situations. You can do everything upright with no hassles!
#52
If we’re going out to eat, pleaseeeee don’t choose to sit at the high tops/bar. My legs will fall asleep.
#53
The dread that shoots through your body when a fire alarm goes off. Even with a ladder, I have to stretch and hope I am close enough to pull the base down so I can change the battery and then screw it back in. High ceilings are my nightmare.
#54
No it’s not funny when people keep constantly guessing your age to be much smaller. It’s not funny when 13 year old boys are taller than you. It’s not funny when everyone keeps asking for your ID.
I just want to look like my age man. Feels like everyone looks at you like you’re a child.
#55
It’s not that I’m weak it’s that when we are lifting something together you are lifting to your chest I am lifting it over my head.
#56
We can comfortably sleep on most couches/airplanes.
#57
Bringing a carry on bag for a flight makes me very anxious. Trying to put my bag in the overhead bin at 4’11 usually results in me almost smacking someone in the head with my suitcase. No one ever offers to help even though I’m obviously struggling, so I have to awkwardly look around and find the nearest tall person to ask for help.
#58
When I sit on a toilet, my feet don’t touch the ground. I have to sit in basically the exact opposite of the “ideal” squatting stance.
#59
29F here. I stand at a whopping 4’11.
– When I sit on various forms of seating, whether a toilet or a chair or table, my feet often don’t touch the ground.
– I’ve been turned away from amusement/theme park rides.
– I’ve been pulled over by various police on the suspicion that I’m underage/too young to have a license.
– 0.02 extra lbs = I suddenly look like a human teletubby.
– Washer/dryer machines. Have you ever, quite literally, fallen into your washer or dryer machine? Because I have.
– On more than one occasion, an unsuspecting waiter has handed me a children’s menu at a restaurant.
– Grocery shopping can be an……… *interesting*….. experience. I have to spend time scoping out which tall stranger looks friendly enough to approach and ask for help. If I’m in the refrigerated aisle/section, I have been known to straight up climb inside the freezer to grab what I want/need. I used to shop at the commissary (military installation) a lot, including a handful that have various high-ranking officers that shop there too. Have you ever had a 3-star general stare at you with a *shocked Pikachu face* as he watches you climb the little step/ladder thingie at the bottom of an aisle, and climb halfway inside the grocery freezer? I simply stared right back, as if to say, *WHATCHU LOOKIN’ AT, HOMIE!? YOU GONNA HELP ME OR JUST STAND THERE!?*
– No, no I cannot see over the dash of most cars. Yes, the booster seat in the driver seat of the car belongs to me. Any other questions?
#shortpeopleproblems
#60
That it’s not funny when we have to jump up and down to get something off a shelf.
#61
1. My eye level is NOT your eye level!
2. I can’t see the hood of most cars while driving
Bonus – I’ve had to get really good at asking tall supermarket strangers for help. Alternatively, my skillset also includes scaling shelves like a 5′ spider monkey
#62
The joy of going to Japan and finally having counters and cupboards in your size.
#63
If a short person does something really impressive, it’s automatically “short man syndrome”, “Napoleon Complex” or “compensating for small penis”. If the a tall man does the same thing, it’s just humbly impressive.
It pisses me off.
#64
I may be the size of a child to you, but that doesn’t mean you can just grab me and pick me up, put me down ya fkn yutz.
#65
That for 99% of the time, I never give a c**p about being short. It matters so little day to day, most other people don’t care nor will they say anything.
It’s convenient when I have to get into a crawlspace or attic to do work on the house. Every car is fine for me. Every airplane seat is comfortable. I never hit my head on anything (well, maybe in the crawlspace or attic) and it’s easy to find clothes that fit.
The only 1% of the time it comes up is when someone says something s****y. I was called “fun size” at work one time by some tall dude. No idea why he thought it’d be funny. Then you have to try and be cool with it because if you say something, now you’re an angry little a*****e. Dude who said it literally had scarring all over his face. I never EVER considered calling him pizzaface or something because that’s a d**k thing to say. Well, I thought about it immediately after he said what he did, but did not.
NFI why some people need to project their insecurities upon others and then play it off as a joke, but that’s the ONLY time it really impacts my life. Beyond that I’m just happy in my tiny car or busy wiring up new stuff in the attic (just added some new lighting to the bedroom and corrected a botched 3-way switch from PO. Very pleased BTW).
#66
It’s almost impossible to order anything from the bar if it’s too high & no one can see you nor hear you. My god! This is why I prefer places where you are being served. At least I can get my drink.
#67
Normal chairs are too tall for me- I can only touch the floor with my tiptoes. So, I often just sit in the edge of my seat, but I always have to make sure my chair isn’t in the way (like in restaurants and office meetings, etc.). On the plus side, I can wear children’s socks and shoes, which are less expensive and in way more fun designs!
#68
Carrying pretty much anything in bags or under arms is heavier because our arms are shorter. The bags or whatever we’re carrying would probably drag on the floor if we left our arms hanging at full length. So we gotta bend them up, and sustain that muscle contracted all the way home.
Tall people can just grab a bag, and let their arms relax.
#69
People literally respect you and the things you say more just because you are taller.
#70
Always having to find the step stool that they’ve moved.
#71
You can get away with looking at boobs more often because the boobs are at eye level.
#72
That I was never insecure about my height. It has never stopped me from dating people taller than me. Tall people have this thing where they love to comment on how short you are.
#73
We’re not that easy to tip over so quit trying.
#74
We’re probably worse with eye contact because we don’t like looking up to people it feels weird.
#75
We also have smaller hands. so all your handheld consoles are s**t for us …
#76
I can’t see out of the peepholes in doors.
#77
That standing up for yourself doesn’t mean the same thing for short people (like me).
I have a friend who is 6’4″ and if he has ever gotten into an altercation, he stands up, and the person usually backs down and runs away. This has worked for him in serious (someone breaking into his office) and non serious (someone talking trash at him in public) situations.
Height intimidates a lot of people. When you’re shorter than most people (like me), unfortunately standing up (literally) for yourself doesn’t work as much.
#78
Don’t stand so close to me! specifically in line, when a tall man stands behind me too close, I get the icks. just because we’re not right in front of your eyesight, doesn’t mean we’re not there!
#79
I don’t know if this is a short person thing but my dad is a little tall and he’d always ruffle my hair when I was a kid. I f*****g hated it and clearly would show that I hated it and would always tell him “*don’t*” but he just kept doing it anyway. I feel like if I was tall he wouldn’t have done that s**t to me. He also kept calling me “small”. All the time. It was bad enough that he did that when I was like 5 years old cause back then I really was small but the older I got the more annoying it was to still get called that. I’m an adult in my 30’s and he still calls me that once in a while and boy it pisses me off. I’ve told him several times to knock it off with calling me that, cause that was old when I was a kid. He claims its affection, but I always hated it. He keeps forgetting that we talked about it and will start doing it again. I hate it so much cause it feels like he’s calling me “inferior”, or something to that effect, so it’s insulting to me. Again I know he wouldn’t be doing that if I was tall(er).
TL;DR When tall people do things like ruffle someone’s hair or call them some variation of the word “small”… they think it’s cute/funny to do that to someone shorter than them but to us short people it’s very annoying. Even if they don’t mean it that way it feels insulting cause it’s like they’re calling us “inferior” in some way. It just pisses me off.